SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Cash is back to being king in San Francisco.
A new ordinance banning brick and mortar businesses from turning away customers who don’t have credit cards is now in effect.
It was a business model that was quickly being embraced in tech friendly San Francisco — cashless shops and restaurants.
Those proponents said turning away dollars and cents was better for efficiency and concerns about robberies.
Some small businesses like the organic coop used to take only credit and debit at half of their locations in places with a lot of clientele working in tech.
But as of friday it’s back to being okay to pay with green at all brick and mortar businesses in San Francisco thanks to Supervisor Vallie Brown’s new ordinance.
She says businesses that only accept plastic or payment via apps like Apple Pay are discriminating against people who can’t afford to bank or don’t want to.
A recent survey by the FDIC found that 17 percent of African American households and 15 percent of Latino households had no bank account.
Some people picking up their lunch at Freshroll, an eatery specializing in Vietnamse cuisine that used to only take plastic at certain spots until the cashless ban went into effect, said they approve of the move.
But another customer thinks it’s unfair to small businesses.
The cashless ban won’t apply at internet only business like ride shares, food trucks or pop up shops.